The present disclosure relates generally to the field of subsoil fluid absorption and drainage systems, and more particularly to a unit and system which includes a plurality of modules with an outwardly flared or arced contour, improving physical stability and surface area while decreasing overall environmental footprint.
Conventional subsoil fluid absorption systems comprise trenches or excavations filled with small rock aggregate and overlaid with a perforated pipe. The pipe may be overlaid with a geotextile fabric and/or more rock aggregate. Soil is placed over the aggregate and perforated pipe to fill the trench to the adjoining ground level. In use, fluid flows through the pipe and out the perforations. Fluid is held within cavities in the aggregate until it can be absorbed into the soil. Other conventional systems use hollow plastic chambers placed beneath ground level to hold fluid until the fluid can flow through slits or apertures in the chamber and can be absorbed into the soil.
Current subsoil based absorption system products are limited in their design configuration, lack system flexibility and installation adaptability. For example, vertical separation may require additional fill in order to maintain adequate separation to groundwater or restrictive layers. It is also difficult for conventional systems to provide the increased bottom area and/or sidewall area required in some designs. Engineers, absorption system designers and absorption system installers are often faced with the dilemma of making the currently available products work in an unsuitable environment. Installation of the rock aggregate also entails moving tons of aggregate from a pile and evenly distributing the aggregate into the excavation. Such movement is time consuming, requires specialized equipment and tends to destroy large parts of the surrounding lawn areas, and is thus very costly. Further, many known systems require significant disruption of the ground environment due to the size and scope of the excavation required to accommodate a drainage system that has certain prescribed drainage interface surface area characteristics that may be desired or required by government regulation.
There is thus a need for an effective, easily installed drainage system with an improved surface area of interface with the external environment without increasing longitudinal or transverse length, and/or a system with similar or increased surface area characteristics and a reduced transverse or longitudinal length.